To the editor:
When I got my first haircut, Vincent Barresi put a cushioned board across the arms of one of those green chairs that Dwight Helstrom now has, and sat me up there for his tonsorial attention. That must have been shortly after Barresi opened his shop next to the Northeastland Hotel in Presque Isle in 1932 – when I was about 3 years old – and I never forgot it.
As the years went by, I left Maine to trace long routes around the country, overseas, and then back to eventually settle in Caribou. It was after the last licensed barber in Caribou died that I went looking for alternatives and found Helstrom’s present shop in Presque Isle. The friendly greeting received on my first visit was accompanied by the instant impression that those green chairs looked very familiar. Helstrom’s tale of their origin proved that they were indeed.
It was a delight to see the Aug. 7 BDN article about Helstrom and his half-century-long career as a licensed barber. I’m sure that all his customers will agree that he is indeed a “people person” with an incomparably bright outlook on life, and that his recognition and publicity are well deserved.
